Albert e



(No Model.)

A. E. PALMER. COFPIN PASTBNBR.

Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

/IV VEN 70H 7'ZLZM770e/C A TTOH/VEY.

N. PETERS, Phuhrlitlwgraphur, Wahngun. DA Q UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT E. PALMER, OF OIVOSSO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO LYMAN E. IVOODARD, OF SAME PLAGE.

vCOFFIl\l-FAS'I'ENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent N0. 424,346, dated March 25, 1890.

Application led December 26,1889. Serial No. 335,006. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Owosso, in the county of Shiawassee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casket or Box Fasteners; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fastenings for caskets or boxes or other like receptacles; and it has for its object, among others, to provide a simple and cheap fastener which shall be efficient in operation, being automatic in closing, and being so constructed as to absolutely prevent accidental unlocking, as by jars or j olts, during transportation of the casket or box to which it is applied.

Eormerfasten ers have been found obj ectionable for several reasons. They cut too deep into the wood and have too little action, and are not sure to catch or latch and are too easily unlatched.

My fastener avoids all the above objections.

The novelty in the present instance resides in the peculiarities of construction and the combinations, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this speciiication, and in which--.

Figure 1 is an enlarged sectional view through two parts locked by means of my improved fastener on the line :t of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a section taken at right angles to that of Fig. l, Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the upper side of the locking-plate and its attached parts, parts being broken away to better show other parts.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a keeper attached to one of the parts-mas, for instance, the upper edge of the body of a casket Beneath this keeper there is a recess to receive the locking-` jaws hereinafter described. The plate or keeper is secured in a suitably-countersunk seat on the upper edge of the casket-body by means of suitable screws, nails, or other fastenings, as a.

C is a plate adapted to be secured in a suitably-countersunk seat in the other part,which, for instance, we will suppose to be the lid of the casket, by means of suitable screws, nails, or other fastenings. This plate is formed with a slot o, through which pass the depending lugs c, which have latch ends d, as shown best in Eig. l. The latches on the two arms D extend in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. l. At one end these arms extend beyond the plate and are formed with thumb-pieces e at said ends, the other ends of the said arms being formed with hooks f tov engage the portions f of the plate F.

F is a plate covering the Inajor portion of these arms and secured to the pla-te C by means of a screw, so as to be readily detached when desired. This plate is tapered, being wider at one end than at the other, and at the narrow end engaged by the hooks on the inner ends of the arms D to preventdisplacement thereof.

G is a stud on the plate C, projecting through the plate F, and against which the arms D contact at their recessed portions g when the said arms are brought together to unlock the parts.

II is a spring, substantially U-shaped, arranged within the covering-plate E, with its bend around the screw that secures the said plate to the plate C, and with its ends acting upon the two arms D, as shown best in Fig. 3.

Projecting from the under side of the plate Cds a looped portion J, within which the catches of the arms D work, as shown in Eig. 2.

The operation is simple and apparent. The spring acting on the arms D serves to at all times keep the thumb ends thereof separated or spread out, as shown in Fig. 3, thus keeping the latch or latches thereof under and in contact with the keepenplate, as shown in Fig. l. Vhen it is desired to unlock the parts, the arms D are brought together by the hand against the tension of the spring', and this brings the latches of the arms within the loop J, when the parts Inay be readily separated.

ICQ

In some cases I prefer to make one lever stationary, omitting,` the latch thereon, and such other changes in the details of construction I reserve the right to make as would come Within ordinary mechanical skill and not affect the principle of my invention.

`What I claim as new isl. The plate having upon its under side a looped portion, combined with arms connected to said plate and provided with a depending latch or latches passed through a slot in the plate -and Working through said looped portion, and a spring,` between said latches, as set forth.

2. The co1nbination,with the plate C, formed with a depending loop, of the arms having at one end thumb-pieces and at the other end formed With hooks, and formed between the said ends with depending latches Working through a slot in the plate and Within the loop, a plate over the arms and engaging the said hooks, and a spring1 beneath the coveringplate,'with its ends bearing on said arms, substantially as and for the purpose specified. In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of three witnesses.

ALBERT E. PALMER. Witnesses:

LYMAN E. VOODARD, E. W. WOODWARD, LoUIs FLICKINGER. 

